This application claims the priority of German application 198 13 670.6, filed in Germany on Mar. 27, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a motor vehicle with a vehicle interior as well as a partition that divides the vehicle interior into a front area having a driver's side and a passenger side, and a rear area.
A partition of this kind is known for example from German Patent Document No. DE 44 28 298 C2. The partition comprises a rigid immovable lower base part and a transparent upper part, and divides the vehicle interior over the entire width of the vehicle into a front seat area and a rear seat area.
A similar partition that serves to protect a driver and is attached to the rear of the seat back of the front seat bench is disclosed in German Patent Document No. DE 17 80 367. Up to the level of the seat back, this partition consists of a steel plate, with two sheets of armored glass above it. The two sheets of armored glass are mounted in a frame, with one sheet displaceable relative to the other.
A goal of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle of the species recited at the outset that has a partition whose variability is improved relative to the prior art.
This goal is achieved by virtue of the fact that the partition is divided into at least two partial units that abut one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle, with one partial unit of the partition being mounted immovably behind a driver's side in the front area and with at least one additional partial unit being movable between two end positions, with the end positions opening or closing a passageway area between the front area and the rear area.
As a result, the interior of the motor vehicle can be divided flexibly so that optionally a complete or partial separation of the driver plus passenger side, which forms the front area in the motor vehicle, from the rear area is possible. If the passenger seat is designed so that it can be brought into a facing position relative to the rear seat area, complete incorporation of the passenger side area into the rear area is possible by opening the partition. This creates a passageway from the rear area to the front area and vice versa.
In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the (at least one) additional partial unit of the partition is mounted and guided to be linearly movable in the transverse direction of the vehicle. As a result, especially simple movability of the additional partial unit is created.
In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the drive for the movable partial unit of the partition has associated with it a flexible pulling and pushing structure connected by a dimensionally stable deflecting guide with the partial unit to be moved. In this manner, an especially compact drive unit is created for the movable partial unit of the partition, since the drive does not have to be located laterally next to the movable partial unit, but can instead be located at the same level.